Council committees
If you'd like to present at any of these committees, find out how in this handy factsheet.
Committee Terms of Reference can be found here.
Regulatory Committee (Whakaretea)
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on:
- the approval of non-notified resource consent applications;
- the need for formal review and amendment of existing plans, strategies and by-laws;
- the consideration and determination of notified consent applications that are unable to be dealt with via the existing Delegations to staff (via the appointment of qualified hearing panels);
- the appointment and performance of hearing committees/panels;
- the implementation of NPS, frameworks, and environmental standards required;
- the monitoring of regional plans, strategies and bylaws.
- compliance and enforcement activities, including those relating to permitted activities, resource consents and biosecurity matters.
Chairman: Cr Neville Cook
Deputy Chairman: Cr Jeremy McPhail
Members: Crs Gibson, Guyton, McDonald, Rodway, Horrell (ex-officio)
Quorum: 4
Strategy and Policy Committee (Rautaki me Mahere)
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on:
- the provision of governance oversight into the development and review of plans, policies, strategies and by-laws;
- the recommendation to notify proposed changes or variations to proposed Plans, Policies, Strategies and By-laws;
- the governance oversight of consultation related to regional policies, plans and strategies;
- the appointment of hearing committees or panels to hear submissions on regional policies, plans and strategies;
- undertaking Water and Land Plan associated project work;
- the receipt, and if necessary endorsement of, scientific studies/reports; receipt of SOE reports and/or score cards;
- the compiling of submissions to Government as needed (if the Council timetable does not provide for same)
Chairman: Cr Lyndal Ludlow
Deputy Chairman: Cr Maurice Rodway
Members: Crs Cook, Evans, Gibson, Guyton, McDonald, McPhail, Pemberton, Morrison, Roy, Horrell (ex-officio)
Mana whenua representatives: Stewart Bull and Anne Wakefield
Quorum: 7
Regional Services Committee (Ropu Ratonga-a-Rohe)
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on:
- governance oversight and monitoring of the non-regulatory implementation of Council plans, strategies and by-laws, including (but not limited to):
- River Corridor Concept Plans
- clean heat
- pollution prevention
- environmental education
- land sustainability
- the Waituna response.
- managing the relationship of Council with the Catchment Liaison Committees;
- governance oversight of and recommending programmes for delivery of flood protection and drainage maintenance;
- governance oversight of and recommending programmes of work related to the Regional Pest Management Plan;
- governance oversight of and recommending programmes of work that promote sustainable resource management practices.
- governance oversight of the management of Council’s lease land via the Land Administration Committee.
Chairman: Cr Peter McDonald
Deputy Chairman: Cr Eric Roy
Members: Crs Evans, Ludlow, McPhail, Pemberton, Rodway, Horrell (ex-officio)
Mana whenua representatives: Gail Thompson and Estelle Pera-Leask
Quorum: 5
Finance and Performance Committee
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on:
- oversight of tasks associated with the development of organisational strategic plan;
- governance input into the development of output plans and budgets together with associated financial policies which support the delivery of the strategic plans, especially Long-term Plans and Annual Plans;
- governance oversight of performance reporting to Council regularly, including making recommendations as required, relating to Local Government Act annual reporting and audit by:
- reviewing periodic high level output reporting against targets and investigating areas of significant non-performance;
- reviewing related financial performance against budget and investigating areas of significant non-performance;
- monitoring overall financial wellbeing against budget;
- monitoring investment performance and receiving periodic briefings from fund managers;
- providing governance oversight to the completion of external audits including consideration of internal controls;
- governance oversight to the maintenance and development of corporate disciplines and infrastructure, including facilities, systems and risk management procedures;
- governance oversight to delegations of authority and associated internal organisational policy development.
Chairman: Cr Maurice Rodway
Deputy Chairman:
Members: Crs Ludlow, McPhail, Morrison, Pemberton, Horrell (ex-officio)
Quorum: 3
Risk and Assurance Committee
Chairman: (Independent Chair)
Deputy Chairman:
Members: Crs Gibson, Ludlow, McPhail, Morrison, Rodway, Horrell (ex-officio)
Quorum: 4
Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (Te Manatu Arai Mate Ohorere o te Tonga)
The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 requires the establishment of a joint committee of representatives from all local authorities in the region.
The councils have established the Southland Emergency Management Group (SCDEMG) as a joint standing committee of the councils pursuant to Section 12 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (the Act). The terms of reference are set out in the Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan 2017-2022 and the Agreement of Joint Civil Defence Services signed 1 July 2019.
After a comprehensive review of the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) in Southland the councils have agreed that their responsibilities for CDEM under the Act shall be combined and delivered through one body to be known as Emergency Management Southland (EMS) with the intention that each Council is to be an active equal participant in the establishment development and control of it.
EMS comprises an Emergency Management Office and Emergency Operations Centre in Invercargill with such other sub-offices and centres that are deemed necessary by agreement and shall have the purposes and functions and be governed by the principles set out in the agreement. EMS is located in a building alongside Environment Southland's offices and is staffed by a manager and several emergency management staff.
Members: Environment Southland's representative on the Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is Cr Neville Cook (alternate: Chairman Nichol Horrell).
Representatives from 3 out of the 4 councils need to be present.
Regional Transport Committee (Ropu Tiaki Waka-a-Rohe)
The Regional Transport Committee is responsible for regional land transport in relation to the Transit New Zealand Act 1989. Its objectives are to:
- prepare a Regional Land Transport Plan and to act as a forum on land transport issues;
- promote and facilitate the establishment and maintenance of an appropriate, safe and efficient land transport system within the Southland region and linking it to the rest of New Zealand.
Chairman: Cr Jeremy McPhail
Members: Crs Morrison, Horrell (ex-officio) with TA representatives and NZTA representatives.
Quorum: 4
South Port New Zealand Sub-Committee (Ropu a-Tonga Taunga Waka)
The South Port New Zealand Sub-committee is responsible for matters relating to South Port New Zealand (SPNZ) investment.
Its objectives are to:
- provide a point of contact between senior management and the Board of SPNZ and Council and to maintain an effective working relationship between SPNZ and Council;
- monitor the performance of the investment and to advise on Council's policies concerning its investment in SPNZ;
- consider and advise Council on matters relating to the governance of SPNZ including those dealt with at Extraordinary and Annual General Meetings.
Chairman: Cr Eric Roy
Members: Crs Gibson, Ludlow, McPhail, Rodway, Horrell (ex officio)
Quorum: 3
Climate Change Sub-Committee
The Climate Change sub-committee, which meets once every two months, consists of six councillors as well as a mana whenua representative and will report to the Strategy and Policy Committee on its progress.
Its objectives are to:
- to help drive Environment Southland’s action on climate change.
- report to the Strategy and Policy Committee on its progress.
Chair: tbc
Members: Crs Guyton, Ludlow, McDonald, Morrison, Rodway, Roy, Horrell (ex officio)
Mana whenua representative: Stewart Bull
Quorum: 4
Chief Executive Review sub-committee
The Chief Executive's Review Sub-committee is tasked with undertaking all performance reviews of the Chief Executive. The reviews will cover matters recorded in the Chief Executive's employment agreement, any performance agreement that is in place, any matters arising from undertakings given or received at previous review dates and any other matter that is timely and relevant to cover at such a review.
Its objectives are to:
- provide the Council with a formal process for regular review and planning with the Chief Executive in terms of the Council's performance expectations;
- prepare and adopt a Performance Agreement between the Council and the Chief Executive;
- assist the Chief Executive to identify areas and priorities for efficiency and baseline reviews;
- receive briefings and act as a governance sounding board for organisational change and improvement processes;
- review and recommend remuneration and other conditions of employment on behalf of Council;
- develop, with the Chief Executive, and recommend professional development programmes and initiatives to further develop the Chief Executive.
Chairman: Chairman Nicol Horrell
Members: Crs Cook, Ludlow, McDonald, McPhail, Rodway
Quorum: 3
Other Appointments
Group / Forum | Members / Representatives |
---|---|
Bluff Maritime Museum Trust | Cr Neville Cook and Chief Executive Wilma Falconer |
Te Rōpū Taiao | Chairman Nicol Horrell (Chair), Cr Robert Guyton, Cr Maurice Rodway. |
Regional Sector Group | Chairman Nicol Horrell |
Southland Community Broadcasters Trust | Cr Neville Cook |
Waiau Working Party | Cr Jeremy McPhail and Cr Paul Evans |
Great South Shareholders Committee | Chairman Nicol Horrell |
Southland Heritage and Building Preservation Trust | Cr Ludlow is Trustee & Chair until AGM. No appointed Cr. rep. (Trust Deed) |
Whakamana te Waituna Charitable Trust | Appointments authorised by Trust Deed. Co-chair – Chairman Nicol Horrell (with Dean TAMI). Trustee – Cr Peter McDonald. |